Recruitment Woes
by CallistoLexx
Summary: Set in Red Witch's Misfit Universe, the Misfits and X-Men fight over a new potential recruit...who knows one of the other teens.


**Marvel owns all _X-Men: Evolution_ and _G.I. Joe_ characters. The wonderful Red Witch owns Xi and Althea. Genomex is a tiny (and probably finished) crossover with the television show _Mutant X_ and belongs to Marvel, Fireworks Entertainment, and Tribune Entertainment. I do own Caroline Shane and Adam Benet, though. But I'm not sure if Adam should count since he's loosely based on one of the few men I fancy myself in love with named Adam Benet, a character on the UPN show _Half and Half_ played beautifully by the actor Alec Mapa. I couldn't help it, I think everything, at times, could use an Adam and I think that Lance would be the one to know him. You'll notice that I used the same name for both of those characters and that is because I'm not creative enough to create names myself. If you are all wondering about the mutant categories and things like that, I've gotten them from genomex.net a part of mutantx.net because I need help classifying mutations. Don't ask, my brain is just weird. But anyway, here's the story. If you have any questions, ask away. And there will be more notes at the end. And I apologize for the length (of both the story and this little foreword/disclaimer thing) and the…oddness of it. I meant to do it as a comedy but it ended up as this.**   
  
  


**Recruitment Woes**   
  
  


"I hope they go home soon," Logan grumbled to Ororo. 

The Misfits were over at the X-Mansion for yet another delightful fight-filled visit. 

"They've only been here for an hour, Logan," the weather witch stated evenly. "And you must admit that they've been rather well-behaved today." 

"Which only means that they're planning something," he pointed out. 

"I hope that is not true, but knowing the Misfits like we do, it probably is." 

Then Cerebro's alarms went off indicating that it had detected a new mutant signature. This caused Logan to groan. 

"We knew that this was going to happen sooner or later," Ororo reasoned. "We knew that, eventually, Cerebro would go off when they were here. I'm just surprised that it took this long." 

"I suppose you're right," he gruffed as they met up with the others in the foyer before heading to Cerebro. 

"What is that?" Shipwreck asked. 

"That would be Cerebro," the Professor sighed as he led the procession to the sophisticated computer. 

"So we get to go meet a potential recruit?" the excited sailor questioned. 

"We do, Popeye, you don't," Logan stated. 

"That's not fair!" 

"Life ain't fair, bub. Get used to it." 

"The way I see it, we have two choices," Lance stated. "We all go together or the Misfits hit buttons on our watches and get there way ahead of you. Which will it be?" 

"He has a point, Logan," Professor X said. "They can easily get to Reno before us." 

"Reno?" Jean asked, a red tinge colored her cheeks. 

"Hey! You may get to see your special friends," Pietro smirked referring to the Double Helix Ranch. 

"And maybe you'll get to make a move on Deputy Johnson," Todd teased his friends, cracking the misfits up. 

"That's not funny," was the sulky reply. 

"We get the crack about Jean," Kitty said sending her friend an apologetic smile, "but we don't get the one about Pietro." 

"I'll tell you on the jet," Lance offered with a grin. "You'll get a kick out of it. So who all is going?" 

********************************* 

"That has to be one of the funniest things I ever heard!" Kitty laughed. "You, like, didn't know _Reno 911_ was fake?" 

Lance (who had been given an anti-anxiety pill so he wouldn't annoy everyone with his fear of flying) had just finished telling the X-Men about Pietro's temporary flirtation with the Reno Sheriff's Department. On the jet were the core members of each team. The X-Men side of the jet contained Scott, Jean, Kitty, Peter, Rogue, Remy, Logan, and the Professor. The present Misfits were Althea, Todd, Wanda, Lance, Pietro, Xi, Fred, Roadblock, and Spirit. Both sides had agreed to leave Shipwreck behind with the babies and the triplets, mainly so the new mutant wouldn't be driven away by him. 

"So what do we know about this new kid?" Logan growled, not wanting to listen to the potential fight that was about to break out between the two teams. 

"The mutant is a young man about seventeen years old," the Professor replied. "Cerebro was unable to determine his mutation, but it was able to discern that his name was Adam Benet." 

"Do we know where he'll be?" Roadblock asked. 

"We have his address, but we may have to search some establishments near his home to locate him." 

"There are enough of us present that it shouldn't take too long," Spirit pointed out. 

"But when we find him, who gets him?" Fred questioned. 

"We'll each talk to him and let him choose for himself," the Professor answered. "It's only fair." 

"All right then," the large teen stated, pacified. 

"This is going to be a weird day," Lance prophesized under his breath. No one heard him. 

********************************* 

"Chuck, are you sure this is the right place?" Logan asked as the large search posse entered the bar-like teen hangout. 

"Adam's foster parents said that he would most likely be found here," the Professor responded. 

The group fanned out to search for the face they had seen on Cerebro's screen. 

Lance spotted a familiar head of black hair and headed toward it. "Hey, Adam, long time no see," he commented with a smirk. 

"Oh my god!" the Filipino grinned, bouncing on his stool. "It is so good to see you!" 

Adam's loud voice drew the attention of X-Men and Misfits alike and they drew nearer, examining the new mutant as they neared. Adam was of Filipino descent. He was five feet five inches tall with a head of thick black hair that had blonde and red highlights and was styled in soft spikes that just made it look like he had woken up with pointed hair, though it had actually taken the teen at least an hour to get it just right. He was full of energy which seemed as though it couldn't be contained, which explained why he was fidgeting and bouncing. 

"Three years and you're still as loud as ever," Lance groaned as the others joined them. 

"You know it, Babe," was the cheeky response. 

"You must be Adam," Roadblock said. "Lance, you never told us that you knew him." 

"You never asked," he replied. "Everyone, this is Adam Benet. We used to live in the same foster home. Adam, this is everyone." 

"Oh, it is so good to meet you! Any friend of Lance's is a friend of mine," the new mutant said energetically. His sparkling brown eyes landed on Pietro. "Oh my god! I love your hair! What do you use on it? And your skin is absolutely flawless! I'm so jealous." 

Pietro, always one for talking about himself, slid into an easy rapport with the other man. 

"Adam is, without a doubt, the most hyper and stereotypical gay man you could ever hope to meet," Lance explained with a sigh. "Except for maybe Boy George. You might as well sit down, this could take a while." 

Two hours later the beauty talk was still going strong. 

"You would not believe how hard it is to find a good stylist," Pietro moaned to his new friend. 

"You're telling me! You try finding one when you're relocated every few months!" Adam pointed out. "But I was lucky enough to find Pierre. He's a magician with the hair. Here, I'll give you his number and address." He quickly scrawled out the name and number of the salon on a cocktail napkin. "Be sure to tell him I sent you." 

"Thanks, I'll be sure to do that." 

Lance saw his chance and jumped for it. "Hey, before you two get back to your…fascinating conversation, can we please get back to the reason that we're here?" 

"I am so sorry," Adam apologized. "I guess we got carried away. Why did you want to see me?" 

"I run a special institute for gifted youngsters," Xavier explained. "We have recently discovered that you have a special gift. We would like to offer you a place where you can not only learn to control it but also how to use it to help people." 

"And it takes so many people to offer me this?" 

"Only half of us," Spirit replied. "We," he gestured to the Misfits, "are a similar group who accomplishes the same thing. We're approved by the government and aren't vigilantes." 

"You'd be better off with us, though," Jean said. "The Misfits like to cause trouble. And they're completely insane." 

"Excuse me?" Althea questioned. "Who are the ones always getting sued?" 

"At least we don't destroy everything in sight!" Scott stood up. 

And with that the fight was underway. The only ones refraining from the all-out brawl were Adam, Lance, and Kitty. The three moved to another table away from the fight. 

"I take it they do this a lot," Adam commented, watching the action. 

"Yeah, unfortunately. We're kind of rivals," Lance said. 

"So you two lived in the same foster home?" Kitty asked, making conversation. 

"We kind of grew up together," her boyfriend replied. 

"We were great friends," Adam supplied. "We met when I was seven and Lance was eight. We were two of three foster kids. The other was a seven year old girl named Caroline Shane." 

"How is Carly?" Lance asked. "Have you heard from her lately? I haven't gotten a letter or email in a month or two." 

"Of course! We live in the same house. She's doing great. But she's been out of town for a while. She went to visit her mom." 

"So you and this Carly girl are, like, close?" Kitty inquired. 

"Like sisters," Adam answered. "The three of us were new to the social service system and kind of acclimated ourselves to it together. We all became like family. And for a few years they kept us together, even when we were relocated. Whether it was the same house or the same city. At least we knew someone when we got there." 

"But they split us up, eventually," Lance filled in. "We haven't seen each other in at least three years." 

"But we still write letters and emails to each other." 

"That's sweet," Kitty smiled. 

"Hey, how did you know I was a mutant?" Adam asked. "Did Lance tell you?" 

"No. The Professor, like, has a computer that can find mutants," the valley girl said. "Lance knew?" 

"Yeah, I did. His power manifested a few years after we met." 

"Like, what is your power?" 

"I am a Molecular mutant of the Chromatic sub-type," Adam answered. 

"Which means?" 

"I can manipulate light reflections. I can alter the light around me to become invisible or effect colors and objects. Things like that." He demonstrated by briefly making himself invisible. 

"Cool!" Kitty exclaimed. She'd seen it before with Xi, but she still thought it was cool to be able to disappear. 

"That's nothing. Watch this!" Adam began to glow in a bright white light, which blinded the brawlers, effectively ending the action. "As you can see, I can control it rather well." 

"That was so neat." 

"I know." 

"That was quite impressive, Adam," Xavier complimented. "And we must apologize for our actions. Sometimes our…rivalry becomes a little heated." 

"Thank you," Adam grinned. "And you're forgiven." 

"What do you say, will you join us?" Kitty asked. 

"Or us?" Lance said, offering up the second option. 

"I don't know," Adam stated uncertainly. "I wouldn't feel right going anywhere without Elektra." 

"And Elektra is?" Kitty asked. 

"Carly," Lance answered before quickly filling the others in on what Kitty already knew about the foster homes. "Elektra is her codename." 

"So she's a mutant as well?" Xavier asked. "Presumably she can control electricity?" 

"Yes and no, in that order," Lance answered. 

"She is a mutant, but not an Elemental. She's a Feral," Adam explained, "feline sub-type." 

"Wait a minute, you've said thing like that before," Kitty said. "What does it mean? Molecular, Elemental, Feral?" 

"There's this agency called Genomex that deals in DNA research," the light bender stated. "They were able to compile a list of four mutational power classifications. Feral, Elemental, Molecular, and Psionic. 

"Ferals are animal-like mutations where the mutant's DNA is, literally, part animal. They can possess the characteristics of various animals like speed or agility or strength. 

"Elementals control things like fire or electricity or, like Lance, geology. 

"Moleculars, like me, have attributes that defy physical science. You know, light manipulation, cloning of oneself, things like that. 

"And last are Psionics. They have heightened mental capabilities, like telepaths and telekinetics." 

"That is fascinating," Xavier said. "I would like to speak with this agency." 

"I wouldn't if I were you," Adam informed. "They got all this information from mutant research and experimentation. They're twisted." 

"Cobra is an affiliation of theirs," Spirit added. "They're very bad people." 

"How do you know all this?" Jean asked. 

"I'm a regular font of knowledge," Adam grinned. 

"Carly told you?" Lance guessed. 

"Yeah, she got mixed up with them for a while. She's out now." 

"Getting back to Carly…if she's a Feral, why is her codename Elektra?" 

"Well…it mostly has to do with a little experiment of hers," Adam answered slowly. "It was an experiment-slash-accident. It involved a toaster, a fork, a candy bar, and a fire." 

"And she often reminds us of the character of Elektra from the _Daredevil_ comics," Lance added. 

"So she came to be known as Elektra. Especially since she has this fascination with violence and experimenting with the best ways to destroy electronic devices," Adam finished. "The toaster was an accident, but she thought the sparks were pretty. I think that's why she does it. For the sparks." 

"So you'll join whichever side she chooses," Lance stated simply. 

"Yeppers," the happy man grinned. 

"You said she lived with you?" Xavier asked. 

"Yes she does." 

"So why don't we go ask her?" Logan questioned. 

"Because she's not there." 

"Well, where is she?" 

"I don't know." 

"What do you mean you don't know?" 

"She recently went to visit her mother in rehab," Lance explained. "Any time she sees her mother she disappears for a while. We never know how long." 

"Why does she disappear?" Roadblock asked. 

"Emotional reason," Adam supplied. "She loves her mother but she always feels bad after visiting her. So she goes out, gets in touch with her Feral roots and comes back happy as a clam." 

"Do you have any idea of when she will return?" Xavier questioned. 

"Nope," was the chipper reply. "But you guys try to locate her and ask the question. You do that, you'll have your answer." He patted Logan on the back and then looked at the Feral in surprise. "Wow! You're like Gibraltar! You must be very proud." He looked at Lance and Kitty. "I think I someone has gotten to become intimate with the buns of steel program." 

********************************* 

An hour later after some goodbyes and number exchanges (and some reparations to the owner of the establishment for the damage from the brawl) the X-Men and Misfits were back in the air, heading toward Bayville. 

The adults were making plans to locate Carly when Lance interrupted them. 

"When Carly doesn't want to be found, she won't be. And you won't find her." 

"So what do you suggest?" Logan asked. 

"I suggest that you let them come to you. I know they will, if just to check you out and see if it would be beneficial for them. And brace yourselves for more conversations about beauty regimens." 

"Oh boy," the adults groaned at the image. 

"You're speaking as if you know they're going to join one of us," Spirit observed. 

"That's because I think they might…at least for a short time. Eventually." 

"Any clues as to which side they'll join?" Xavier asked. 

"I can honestly say that I have no idea," Lance answered. "I think that Adam will want to join the Misfits since I think he has a little bit of a crush on Pietro. And he and Carly consider me their big brother. But I think Carly would choose the X-Men mainly because I think she'd, unlike Adam, hate Pietro." 

"Why would she hate him?" Scott asked. "Not that she'd be in the minority." 

"He whines. He pouts. He and Adam would talk for hours on end about stuff that would make her shoot herself in the foot just to take her mind off the pain of the conversation," Lance thought out. "But I don't think she'd really like you all that much either." 

"Why not?" 

"Because you're uptight and stuffy. You'd drive her nuts. The usual. But she'll probably choose the lesser evil which may end up being the Misfits." 

"Oh no," the two Joes paled. 

"This means more pointless chatter," Spirit said, his mind returning to the earlier banter between Adam and Pietro. 

"You can have them," Roadblock offered to the Professor and Logan. 

"Yeah, Cerebro is yours, after all," Spirit agreed. 

"Oh, no, no," Xavier countered graciously. "You have less children than you do. You can take them." 

"Hey, they may tell us thanks but no thanks," Lance pointed out. "I really can't determine what they're going to do." This brought a sense of relief to the adults and an end to the argument. 

"Hey!" Pietro suddenly exclaimed. "Is it just me or was Adam hitting on me?" 

"Yeah, he was," Althea snickered. 

"Oh…" his voice trailed off. "At least he has good taste. And a lot of beauty tips that we all really should try." 

"You can have them," Roadblock offered again. 

"No, no, really. They're all yours," Xavier declared. 

And so the argument began anew. 

"I knew this was going to be a weird day," Lance groaned. "I just knew it. Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed." 

"You take them!" 

"No, you!" 

"Listen to this herbal remedy for shiny hair that Adam gave me!" Pietro crowed. 

"I think I'm going to destroy Cerebro," Scott moaned. 

The rest of the flight was spent with arguments over how best to destroy the supercomputer and who would get the new recruits.   
  
  


**_The End_**   
  
  


**I think I got a little inspired, don't you? In fact, writing it last night I completely killed a pen. It was full of ink when I began but it was all gone by the time I was done. I love inspiration sometimes. Though it meant I didn't go to bed until midnight...but oh well. So...what did you think? If you, for some reason, would like to use Adam in a story of yours, go ahead. Just please let me know if you do so I can read it. And also, I'm entertaining an idea for a sequel that would bring in Carly as a character and not just someone they're talking about. So should I do it? And which team should they join? Well, please let me know what you think I should do.**


End file.
